Traveling around Uzbekistan

I used to think mulberry trees were just about silkworms. Turns out, in the Fergana Valley and around Samarkand, the wood itself has been shaping Uzbek

I used to think seed art was just something grandmothers did to pass time on long winter afternoons. Then I spent three weeks in Bukhara, sitting cross-legged

I’ve watched a craftsman in Khiva twist hemp fibers between his palms for what felt like an eternity, and honestly, I wasn’t prepared for how

I used to think lullabies were universal, just variations on the same drowsy theme. Then I spent an evening in Tashkent with my colleague’

I’ve walked past dozens of libraries in my life, but there’s something about Bukhara’s Central Library that stops you cold.

I used to think learning Uzbek would be impossible. Then I landed in Tashkent at 3 AM with a broken suitcase wheel and realized nobody at the airport spoke

Standing Where a Sea Used to Be, and Breathing in What’s Left The first thing that hits you isn’t the sight—it’s the smell. I’

I used to think ancient fortresses were basically just walls and towers, maybe some crumbling gates if you were lucky. Then I started reading about Kampir

I’ve walked through dozens of memorial museums, but the one in Tashkent hits differently. The Memorial Museum to the Victims of Repression sits in

I used to think spring was the obvious choice for Uzbekistan—flowers, mild weather, all that predictable travel-guide stuff. Turns out, the country’